THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT PART IV: OVERCOMING BECAUSE his TIME IS SHORT
REVELATION 12: 1-17
JULY 20, 2003
INTRODUCTION: A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD PRAISE AND WORSHIP HYMNAL #3
TRANSITION THOUGHT: The truth of this Hymn is that the battle is over! Three weeks ago, we started on a journey learning together learning how the Devil works and how we can avoid what he desires for us, ultimately our destruction. Again, I say, if you do not believe that the Devil is hard at work, why are there pews without people on them?
THESIS SENTENCE: WE CAN OVERCOME THE DEVIL THROUGH CHRIST ALONE!
CONTEXT: Our text begins with a great cosmic event. God the FATHER has set the stage. Salvation is on the way! A sign appears in the heavens and it is a woman about to give birth. Another sign appears and it is a great and fearsome Red Dragon. The Dragon has one desire and it is to destroy the male child. As the great cosmic drama unfolds, we see the hand of our SOVEREIGN GOD at work. The woman is the Nation Israel, Mary the mother of Jesus, and the Bride of Christ, the CHURCH. The Dragon, we are told is Satan himself, also called the Devil. The Child is born, the ONE who will rule the nations with an Iron Scepter. HE is none other than Jesus Christ our Lord. Immediately HE ascends into the heaven to God the Father. The Woman escapes the snare of the Red Dragon and flees into the desert where God had prepared a place for her.
War erupts in heaven, but the battle is over! The Dragon and his minions are not strong enough and are defeated. Michael the Archangel and his angels expel the Dragon and his angels to the earth where he will lead the world astray.
THEN JOHN HEARD A LOUD VOICE IN HEAVEN SAY:
NOW HAVE COME THE SALVATION AND THE POWER AND THE KINGDOM OF OUR GOD AND THE AUTHORITY OF HIS CHRIST. FOR THE ACCUSER OF OUR BROTHERS, WHO ACCUSES THEM BEFORE OUR GOD DAY AND NIGHT, HAS BEEN HURLED DOWN. THEY OVER CAME HIM…
This is the point, the Nation Israel and its off spring of faith; the church has overcome the Great Red Dragon, Satan, otherwise known as the Devil. This is our desire. We do not want to be defeated any longer by the power of Evil. We desire to over come evil. No longer will our families be destroyed by chaos. No longer will our lives be marked by the pain of bad choices. No longer will we reap what we sow. We have set our course; we will not play the Devil’s game. We will not let the Devil make us do it! We will OVERCOME! But how will we overcome? We will overcome by what the scriptures teach us!
THE SCRIPTURES TEACH US…
I. OVERCOMING IS THROUGH HIS BLOOD
A. OVERCOMING IS NEVER IN OUR OWN POWER
1. Adam and Eve were deceived because they refused to take God at His word. They tried to reason with the serpent in the Garden, but were no match for the Devil. Have you ever wondered what it might have been like if they had just said, “Let’s wait and see what the Lord God says, we’ll ask Him.”
2. Did Jesus overcome the Devil during HIS great temptation in the desert in HIS own strength? I do not think so! Remember, He was lead and filled by the SPIRIT of GOD. And, He overcame through the word of God, which HE knew well enough to quote and apply, even when the Devil quoted scripture to HIM (see Matt. 4 and Lk. 4).
B. OVERCOMING IS THROUGH CHRIST ALONE
1. So how did Israel, ultimately the Bride of Christ, overcome the Devil? They overcame through the Blood of the Lamb.
2. Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Are you washed in the blood, in the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb? Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
3. Is the Blood of Jesus something you rejoice in, or does it seem crude and vile to speak of such?
4. Scripture speaks often of blood and celebrates the Blood of Jesus!
Matthew 26:27-28 “Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’”
Romans 5:9 Paul wrote, “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!”
Ephesians 1:7 Paul wrote, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace…”
Ephesians 2:13 Paul continues this theme, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.”
Colossians 1:19-20 Paul states, “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”
Hebrews 9: 12, 14, and 22, “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! 22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and with out the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”
Hebrews 13: 12 & 20, “And so Jesus suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. 20 May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, equip you…”
Revelation 1:5, “To him who loved us and has freed us from our sins by his blood…”
This is why the Hymn writer penned: “There is pow’r, pow’r, wonder working pow’r in the blood of the Lamb. There is pow’r, pow’r wonder working pow’r in the precious blood of the Lamb.”
TRUTH: OVERCOMING BEGINS WITH THE BLOOD OF JESUS CLEANSING OUR SIN!
THE SCRIPTURES TEACH US…
II. OVERCOMING IS THROUGH OUR TESTIMONY
A. OUR TESTIMONY IS NOT WHAT WE SAY
1. The biggest problem Jesus had with the Pharisee was that their talk was not validated by their walk.
2. The world has the same problem with the church; our walk does not always validate our talk. We are great at speaking Christianees, but we do not seem to be that great at “Walking as HE walk”. You may ask is it even possible to walk the talk? However, if it were not, why does our text say that it is?
B. OUR TESTIMONY IS WHAT WE DO
1. How did these over comers overcome? They overcame by not playing the Devil’s game.
2. John the Revelator wrote, “They overcame him…by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”
3. These believers took seriously Jesus’ words found in Luke 12, “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him (vv. 4 & 5).”
4. They also believed what Jesus said as recorded in Matthew 10:33, “But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.” 5. This specific word for “Testimony” is only found only 12 times in the New Testament. It is found 5 times in the book of John, once in the book of Acts, and 6 times in the book of Revelation. It is defined by these verses as “Evidence Given.” Here are some examples:
John 3:32 and 33 read, “He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony.” This is speaking of Jesus. 33, “The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful.”
John 8: 17 and 18 read, “In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness in the Father, who sent me.” This is Jesus speaking.
John 21:24 states, “This is the disciple who testifies to these thing and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.”
Revelation 1:2 and 9, “He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw – that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.” 9, “I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.”
Revelation 6:9, “When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.”
Revelation 11:7, “Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them.”
Revelation 19:10, “At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, ‘Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.’”
6. Two truths come from these texts. First, Our testimony is more than words we say; it is the life we live. Secondly, our testimony has nothing to do with us, but has everything to do with HIM!
C. OUR TESTIMONY IS WHO HE IS
1. As made clear in the texts mentioned, our testimony is not about who we are, but about who HE is!
2. Our text for today ended with these words, “Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring – those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.”
3. The truth here is the twofold understanding of what a testimony is: it is how will live and to whom we claim allegiance. Not only did these believers talk the talk, they walked the walk! They just did not say they loved Jesus; they backed it up with a lifestyle that proved it.
TRUTH: OUR TESTIMONY MUST BE THAT WE LOVE HIM MORE THAN WE LOVE OUR OWN LIVES!
THE SCRIPTURES TEACHES US…
III. OVERCOMING IS KNOWING HIS TIME IS SHORT
A. OVERCOMING IS KNOWING THE DEVIL IS DEFEATED
1. Our text began with the Devil being kicked out of heaven.
2. Our text ends with this same truth, the Devil is here pursuing the offspring of the woman, because he has been defeated and no longer has a place in heaven. 3. This is a powerful truth for us. The Devil is here and he is after us, but only because he has been defeated.
B. OVERCOMING IS KNOWING THE DEVIL CANNOT PLAY THIS GAME FOREVER
1. In verse 12 John wrote, “Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them!” Why did he write this? He wrote this because “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down (vv. 10).”
2. Again, the immediate good news is that the Devil, the accuser of the brothers, has been defeated.
3. The bad new is that he has come to earth to battle those that believe. 4. The hope in it all is this: “He is filled with fury, because he know that his time is short (vv. 12).”
5. We will not always be in this great battle. The day is coming and soon will arrive when we will no longer have to contend with the wiles of the Devil. SO church, take heart. You salvation draws nigh. Hold firm until the end!
TRUTH: WE CAN OVERCOME THE ENEMY OF OUR SOUL BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT HIS TIME IS SHORT!
CONCLUSION: We can overcome the enemy. The Saints of old have set the pattern for us. HOW are you doing? Are you overcoming, or are you being overcome??!! Today I want to ask you to make your declaration clear. If you are determined to overcome the enemy of our souls by the Blood of Jesus and the Word of your Testimony, I want you to come to the Altar. Make a statement before the very throne of heaven that you belong to the Living God and desire nothing but HIS will. Will you come as Ron leads us?
BENEDICTION: Jude 24
